Eco spirituality Yvonne Aburrow. Eco-spirituality: what is it? relating to your environment a non-violent spirituality and spiritual activism deep ecology.

Eco spirituality

Yvonne Aburrow

Eco-spirituality: what is it?

• relating to your environment

• a non-violent spirituality and spiritual activism

• deep ecology - not human-centric

• sustainability

• working with Nature

Non-violent

• respect for life in all its manifestations, human, non-human, animal, vegetable and mineral

• harmonious use of natural resources, with respect for the natural order and cycles of the environment, and development compatible with the ecosystem

• listening to Nature, not dictating to it

Sustainability

• Caring for people and the environment

• Social and environmental justice are linked

Deep ecology

• Other species' right to exist is independent of their value to human needs

• The diversity of eco-systems is important

• A deep ecological approach is needed for sustainability

Eco-feminismThe idea that the

exploitation of the Earth is symbolically linked to the domination of women - talk of conquest, dominion etc. And respect for the Earth = respect for women.

Working with Nature

• Bioregions

• "Small is beautiful"

• Think global, act local

• Recycling

• Carbon footprint

• Nature spirituality

• Conversations with spirit of place

Process theology

• becoming

• unfolding

• emergent

• experiential

Unfolding Spacetime by suhurmash

• AN Whitehead

• Charles Hartshorne

Gaia theology & Gaia theory

• Teilhard de

Chardin

• Oberon Zell

• James Lovelock

• Gaia, Rhea

activity 1: bioregion quizPlease form groups of three and discuss these...

1) Point north.2) What time is sunset today?3) Trace the water you drink from rainfall to your

tap.4) When you flush, where do the solids go? What

happens to the waste water?5) How many feet above sea level are you?6) What spring wildflower is consistently among

the first to bloom here?7) How far do you have to travel before you reach a

different watershed? Can you draw the boundaries of yours?

bioregion quiz8 ) Is the soil under your feet, more clay, sand, rock

or silt?9) Before your tribe lived here, what did the

previous inhabitants eat and how did they sustain themselves?

10) Name five native edible plants in your neighborhood and the season(s) they are available.

11) From what direction do storms generally come?12) Where does your garbage go?13) How many people live in your watershed?14) Who uses the paper/plastic you recycle from

your neighborhood?15) Point to where the sun sets on the equinox.

How about sunrise on the summer solstice?

bioregion quiz16) Where is the nearest earthquake fault? When

did it last move?17) Right here, how deep do you have to drill

before you reach water?18) Which (if any) geological features in your

watershed are, or were, especially respected by your community, or considered sacred, now or in the past?

19) How many days is the growing season here (from frost to frost)?

20) Name five birds that live here. Which are migratory and which stay put?

21) What was the total rainfall here last year?22) Where does the pollution in your air come

from?

bioregion quiz23) If you live near the ocean, when is high tide

today?24) What geological processes or events shaped

the land?25) Name three wild species that were not found

here 500 years ago. Name one exotic species that has appeared in the last 5 years.

26) What minerals are found in the ground here?27) Where does your electric power come from and

how is it generated?28) After the rain runs off your roof, where does it

go?29) Where is the nearest wilderness? When was the

last time a fire burned through it?30) How many days till the moon is full?http://connectedbynature.com/2010/01/happy-2010-where-you-at-a-

bioregional-quiz/

Carbon footprint• What is your personal

ecological impact?

• How many Earths are needed to sustain your lifestyle?

Ethical and ecological audit

• Household

• Personal

• Food and drink

• Transport

http://is.gd/eeaPagan

• Fair Trade

• Sustainability

• Recycling

• Pollution

Spirit of place

• Sense of presence / immanence / immediacy / personality at a particular locale

• This does not have to be a "traditional" sacred space - could be your favourite place in the landscape

• Build a relationship with your special places - commune with them, make art, write poetry, do ritual there (ask the place first)

activity 2:visualise your special place

• take a moment to think of your place

• what do you love about it?

• how does it smell, feel, sound, look?

• what emotions does it evoke?

• write down 5 words to describe it

Tree of Life by Christy Freeman

The sit spotFind a place outdoors and sit there everyday for at

least 15 minutes.

• patterns in nature become apparent

• "deepening sense of place" (Barry Patterson)

• "subtle embodied communion with one chosen place can pattern a sacred relationship to the world" (Adrian Harris)

http://www.adrianharris.org/blog/2011/03/the-sit-spot/

Wildness

InstinctIntuitionConnectio

nIntimacyFreedomSolitudeNature

The seasons

• celebrate seasonal festivals

• keep a nature diary

• grow plants outside

• eat local seasonal fruitand vegetables (betterfor the environment)

Sacred landscape

• visit places, walk mindfully

• find out about geology, history, wildlife, place-names in your area

• draw a map or mandala of your local land forms (hills, rivers, woods, marshes, lakes)

activity 3: sacred geography• sketch a mandala or

map of your local area

• what elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) would you associate with special places?

• are there any sacred springs, stone circles, sacred groves, chalk figures, etc in your area?

• local flora and fauna?

Wildflowers landscape mandala,Lindy Longhurst

Further readingBarry Patterson, The Art of Conversation with the

Genius Loci

Gordon Maclellan, Clarissa Pinkola Estés,

Talking to the Earth Women who run

with the wolves